Method of making building blocks



V Feb. 2, 1926. 1,571,849

. E. A. LONG v METHOD 0F MAKING BUILDING BLOCKSv Filed June 25, i925 vlo o Patented F eb.` 2. 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. LONG, F NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF MAKING BUILDING BLOCKS.

` Application led J'une 25, 1925. Serial No. 39,478.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.

B'e it known that I, EDWARD A. LONG, a

citizen of the United States, residing .in the city of'New Castle, in the county of Lawrence, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Building Blocks, of which the following 1s a full,'olear, and comprehensive specification and exposition, bemg such as will enable others to make the same with exactitude.

The object of my present invention, broadly speaking, is to make certain distinct im rovements in concrete building blocks an in the art of making the same, whereby the blocks will be artistic and attractive in appearance, strong and durable in construction, simple in the formation'thereof, and which can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

More specifically stated, my Objectis to provide .a new 'construction in building blocks wherein the face of the block is given the appearance of bricks or the like, showing the bricks as of a distinct color, and the mortar joints between the bricks as of a color different from the bricks, and both of a color or quality of material dii'erent from the body ofthe buildin block.

Other Objects an particular advantages of my invention will be apparent in the following specification and as sho-wn in the accompanylng drawings forming a part thereof. l

One method of carrying out the principles ofl my invention' in a p-ractical, economical,

and efficient manner is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a v perspective view of my facing mold or box,

4 out'the several views. In order that the con'- with the surface of the In practice the upper face of the plate 10 90 struction, and o eration, of' the invention may be more fu ly understood and appreclated, I'will now take up a detailed descriptlon thereof, in which I will set forth the same as comprehensively as I may.

Facmg moli-This consists of a box-like enclosure, comprising the vertical sides, 1 and 2, the ends 3 and 4.` Said parts rest edgewlse on a base 5, to which they are hinged, by means of the hinges 6, whereby 60 they mageall be opened out parallel with the base, or closed together as in Fig. 1, where they are securable in closed position b means of the' hooks 7, or otherwise as desire Resting on the base 5, and extending 05 thereacross are the two supports 8 and 9, vlluch may be simply blocks of wood or the The mana-This comprises a plate 10 l, adapted to rest on the supports 8 and 9, and 70 of a size such as to fit between the members 1, 2, 3 and-1, substantially as shown. Lo- .cated on, rising thereabove, and preferably integral with the upper face. of the plate 10, are the joint space formers 11 and 12, 754 the former extending longitudinally of the plate 10 and the latter being at right angles tothe parts 11. Said joint space formers 11 and 12 are arranged, in this instance, in such manner as to corres ond with the size I0 and shape of ordina bricks, with the cross o r vertloal joints O each layer of bricks breaking or alternating with the like joints of the layer of bricks next thereto, as in ordinary brick structures. Said members 11 85 and 12 are formed slightly tapering from their connection with the plate 10 to their tops, or surfaces, which latter are parallel plate 10.

may be plain, or it may be roughened, or it may be supplied wlth various designs, either cameo or intaglio, for instance as shown in -my pending applications No. 27295, now

in Div. 33; and in mydesign application, 95 No. D13692.

M01-15mi space formen-This comprises the longitudinal bars 13, and the shorter bars 14 at right angles thereto, thereby forming a grate-like structure as shown in Fig. 2, 10

the supports 8 and 9, and the sides and ends of the mold are then turned u and secured together by the hooks 7, where y said parts are arranged in the osition shown in Fig. 1. The mortar space ormer, shown in ig. 2, is then placed in the mold bringing the faces of the parts 13 and 14 into contact with the corresponding faces of the parts 11A and 12, as shown in g. 4.

The device as arranged in this instanceis to form the front of a concrete block with similitudes of bricks, these being in three superimposed courses alternating laterally with those of the course next thereto.

The material for forming the bricks A is composed of Portland cement, very fine sand, and any desired coloring matter to 've the desired appearance thereto when so idied. The above ingredients are mixed together with just enou h water to make the mixture hold toget er. Also the water should be impregnated with enough calcium chloride to stren hen and harden the mass after being molde The above mixture, for forming the bricks A, is then put on the plate 10 loose, and then tamped down, bringing the surface thereof even with the tops of the'members 13 and 14, and of course covering the late 10, and filling the spaces between the sides and the ends of the mold and the members 11-12 and 13-14, which would be to the uppermost horizontal line shown in Fi 4.

The mortar s ace former (mem rs 13 and 14) is then withdrawn u ward and laid to one side, and the spaces ormed thereby are then filled with a cementitious compost, having a coloring matter which is distinctivel di erent from that of the bricks A, and pre erably formed to give the appearance of mortar between the bricks, the said mortar being designated by letter B.

The next step is to rovide the backing for the bricks, this is one by filling in a third oementitious composition, designated by the letter C, com osed of Portland cement, sand, and broug t to the roper workable condition with water a ded thereto, but without coloring matter. This is tamped down and leveled, and should be vroughened on its surface as the main body of the block must adhere thereto when being formed.

The next operation is to loosen the hooks 7, and then turn the sides 1-2 and the ends 3-4 out and down. The plate 10, with the said cementitious elements resting thereon, is then lifted from the supports 8 and 9 and taken to a block forming machine, where navires said parts are placed in the bottom of the mold of the block forming machine.

Ordinary concrete grout, formed of Portland cement, iravel and water, is then filled in on the bac sur ace of the element C, to form the body D of the block being constructed. l

Said elements A, B, C and D forman integral construction, as shown in Fig. 3, which completes the block, and when removed from the machine and properly cured or set, it is ready to be used in a wall, which by reason of the several elements involved, as stated, will have the a pearance of a brick wall with perfectly armed and finished mortar joints, as shown in Fig. 5.

It .is to be understood that I am not to be limited to any particular kind of material or color thereof; and that I am not to be limited to the specific details of construction shown or to the articular method of making the saine, but t at I am entitled to all the improvements involved which are new and useful and which involve invention.

Having now fully shown and described my invention, what I claim and desire to 4 secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The art of making concrete blocks, which comprises placing a layer of plastic concrete upon a matrix having certain configurations formed thereon, witha mortar space former corresponding with said congurations and resting thereon, filling in said concrete-to the top of said mortar space `:|ormer, then removing the mortar space former, llin the spaces formed by the mortar space ormer with concrete of a color different from the first concrete, a plying a layer of concrete different from t at stated to forma backing, and finally applying concrete diierent from the others to the face of the last applied la er of concrete to form the main body of the lock.

2. The method of making building blocks, 110 which consists in providing a .mold enclosure, fitting a matrix in said mold, lacing a mortar space former on said matrix, filling in concrete to the top of the mortar space former, removing the mortar space former, 115 filling the s ace formed by the mortar space former wit concrete, applyin a layer of concrete to form a backing, an then applying 'concrete to the face of the last men-- tioned layer of concrete to form the body of 120 a block.

3. The method of making building blocks, consistin in providing a mold with the sides an ends thereof opened out, placing a matrix on sup orts and located in the en- 125 closure form Ib the mold, then turning the sides and en s of the mold up and securing them to ther., placing a mortar space former in t e mold and resting on the matrix. Placing plastic concrete on the ma- 1w trix and extending it up to the top of the mortar space former, allowing said concrete to slightly solidify, then removing'the mortar space former, filling in the space formed by the mortar'space former with plastic concrete oa character different from the first mentioned concrete, applying a layer of concrete of a character different from the two first mentioned to form a backing, then complete the filling of the mold by applying concrete of a character different from the three first mentioned to form the body of the block, and finally releasing and opening out the sides and the ends of the mold.

EDWARD A.y LONG. i 

